Russia reports downing 660 Ukrainian drones, denies seeking Belarus war aid

Russia has reported that it downed 660 drones overnight, as Ukraine maintains a barrage that is straining Russian air defences and energy infrastructure. The number of drones shot down marks one of Kyiv’s biggest launches of long-range strikes, Russia’s Ministry of Defence stated on Friday. Recommended Stories list of 3 items end of list Ukraine’s campaign of massive drone strikes inside Russia and on the Crimean peninsula has led to security fears and fuel shortages. That has stoked concern that Moscow may try to pull ally Belarus into the conflict, launched when it invaded Ukraine in February 2022. The latest wave of Ukrainian drones saw Russia intercept unmanned aircraft over 13 regions, including the capital, Moscow, and the illegally annexed Crimean peninsula, as well as the Black and Azov seas. One “massive” attack targeted the Tula region, about 180km (112 miles) south of Moscow, damaging a house and injuring a woman, said regional governor Dmitry Milyaev. Milyaev also ⁠said an industrial facility in Novomoskovsk, 200km (125 miles) south of Moscow, had been damaged. Russian media outlet Astra named the facility as the Azot plant, which has been described by Ukrainian President Volodymyr ‌Zelenskyy as critical to Russia’s production of explosives. The strikes are the latest as Ukraine continues to escalate its aerial campaign against Russia , particularly targeting energy infrastructure in an effort to cut off a key source of revenue for the Kremlin’s war effort. …